RBTH presents a selection of views from leading Russian media on international events, featuring reports on the visit of Syria’s Foreign Minister to Moscow, the talks on Iran’s nuclear program continue and recent election results from Moldova.

1. Iranian nuclear talks continue at a slow pace

The signing
of the final agreement on the Iranian nuclear program was to take place on June
30, the centrist daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes. However, many questions have
not been cleared up since the beginning of the negotiations, while Iran's
sudden change of tone does not add confidence for the prompt conclusion of the
deal.

The newspaper
explains that Iran does not intend to allow the IAEA inspectors access to its
military facilities and has no plans to limit its nuclear research. However, it
demands that sanctions be lifted immediately and that the lifting of sanctions not
be linked with the implementation of its obligations. Negotiators from the six global
parties involved in the talks are not ready to meet these conditions.

According to Vladimir
Sazhin, a senior researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies, all parties
are interested in signing the final agreement. Sazhin notes that Iran's economy
cannot develop in isolation from the rest of the world, as it already requires enormous
investments in practically all sectors. At the same time Europe would gain
access to Iranian oil and gas in the event of the withdrawal of sanctions.

The United
States, in turn, could achieve political dividends. The transformation of a
hostile Iran to at least a neutral power would allow Washington to strengthen
its position in the Middle East, Sazhin concluded.

2. Moscow not withdrawing support for Syria

Syrian
Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has paid a visit to Russia, the business
magazine Expert reports. The very fact of this trip dispelled rumors that
Moscow was withdrawing its support for the government of Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad, the magazine writes.

Expert notes
that Syria is one of Russia’s closest allies in the Middle East and provides
Moscow a “key” to more active participation in the region's affairs. Additionally,
the magazine points out that Russia is supplying Syria with the types of
weapons that it needs, citing the statement of the Syrian Ambassador to Russia,
Riad Haddad.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State (ISIS) radical militant group has already captured a large part of Syria’s territory and
continues to step up pressure on government troops.

Moscow
proposes fighting the militants collectively. Expert cites the statement of
Russian presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov, who said that “in view of the
extremely dangerous situation, [Russia, the EU and the United States] should
forget old grudges and join efforts in the fight against ISIS.”

In reality,
to achieve such a union would be extremely difficult, Expert notes. It could be
a challenge to get Saudi Arabia on board in addition to Turkey and the United
States, who are yet to determine their position on the issue.

3. Moldovan authorities survive local election

The business
daily Kommersant sums up local elections that took place in Moldova on June 28.
The newspaper notes that the results showed the balance of power in the country
largely remains the same, despite the recent corruption scandals in the country.
These scandals caused a political crisis when the prime minister’s government resigned
on June 12.

Businessman
Renato Usatii’s opposition Our Party caused a furor, as its representatives
managed to win in nine out of the 32 regional centers, as well as in three
towns in Gagauzia, including its capital Comrat.

Candidates
from the ruling Democratic Party and the Liberal Democratic Party prevailed in
seven and four regional centers, respectively. The election results showed that
the ruling pro-European Democrats and the Liberal Democrats are so far
unsinkable, despite the corruption scandals.

The country's
main pro-Russian faction – the Socialists' Party – gained control of only two
regional centers and lost in Chisinau.

The leader of
the Socialists' Party, Igor Dodon, and Renato Usatii are considered two birds
from the same nest, yet the results were quite different.

The former
presented himself as a pro-Russian politician, while the latter focused less on
his ties to Russia, but more on the slogan “Down with the thieves,” Valeriu
Mosneaga, a professor of Political Science at Moldova State University, told
the newspaper.

“Usatii took
votes from both those that look to the east, and those that want to be in
Europe,” Mosneaga said.